Natural playspaces - Manjay?

[venus89]

I was reading Sweets' thread about what to play with in the garden and have been really interested in Manjay's comments about having a more naturalistic play space outside..... http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=73011&highlight=gardening

I found (and have subsequently lost :rolleyes: ) an interesting article which said the reasons children tend to take lots of risks in playparks is because we've removed from them the movable bits, the natural elements like sticks and stones, so they need to enhance their play by taking more risks, like running up the slide....

Now my garden needs a revamp but I'm not exactly flush and with the VAT increase and petrol increase and my new job I can't see that changing any time soon.... I have sooooo many things I want to change this year so all my changes have to be within a very tight budget.

So I was thinking of buckets of big sticks, buckets of big stones, camouflage material, stuff like that. I want to get rid of the trampoline (the outer is all cracked and broken) and the big slide (terrifies me them going down it). The playhouse floor has had it so that needs to go too :( I'm going to end up with hardly any big play equipment in my small garden. But do you think this matters if there's lots of exciting naturalistic stuff for them to do? Or do you think it might put off parents who will be expecting an army of plastic stuff in the garden? And any more ideas for very inexpensive natural play ideas? We're on a slope, the garden is tiny and the 'patio' is two paving stones wide....

[venus89]

ooohhh - found it:

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=412

[singingcactus]

That is a very similar argumanet to the one I used with my old development worker as to why I was NOT applying for the outdoor grant available. It was for a large picnic table (unmovable) a large wall mounted blackboard, a twigwam and so some other totally unmovable item. I hate to see kids play spaces defined by adults. ALL my resources, both indoor and out are movable, and may be mixed with whichever other resource the kids want to mix it with (oh except the tower playhouse with slide - but that is raised of the ground so does not affect the playspace and there are no rigid resources inside it).
My argument is how can a child develop a flexible imagination and ability to deal with the world and think outside the box when they spend all day in a rigidised environment. Where every item has only one use and must be used in that way only, and for a specific number of children.
Good on you for creating a free flow child led flexible play environment. :thumbsup: good god that's a mouthful.

[sweets]

i am thinking of trying to get hold of some 'more natural' materials for them to play with too.

I did think of some small child size planks with some other lumps of wood so they could make ramps, roadways or even to walk along would be good.
They only thing that worries me a bit would be splinters! any one know what sort of wood i would need, and would you store them in a shed or something otherwise they would get damp/mouldy wouldnt they?

[venus89]

oohhh - I like the idea of planks. Surely there must be places we can get things like these for quite a low price? We bought some wooden stepping stoes a couple of years ago we were going to sink into the grass but never dd - they're ridged and would be perfect playthings, I think we got them from B&Q or similar....

I have concerns too, like you about splinters but I guess they're no more likely to hurt themselves on a bit of wood than on a slide or seesaw? Possible less so.


What kind of resources do you have then singingcactus? It sounds brilliant! I'm so sick of mountains of plastic. And I totally agree with mixing toys. I look after one child who is very shocked that we mix sets of things together, he says that doesn't come from that set! But I've realised that it's not about what you have, about getting more and more things to play with, it's about how you use it....

[The Juggler]

i'm no gardener but I grow veggies and let the rest 'overgrow' so there is lots of digging and green around and it attracts bees and butterflies and is a bit wild.

I do have some fixed toys but it's the shells/stones etc that they all play with.

I'm going to get some old tyres from kwikfit too for steppign stones, seats.

[venus89]

Oh, and not natural but plastic pipes of different sizes. They could be used for all sorts :D

I told my husband my plan and he said 'stones? won't they get all over the grass? What about the mower?'! :rolleyes:

[venus89]

i'm no gardener but I grow veggies and let the rest 'overgrow' so there is lots of digging and green around and it attracts bees and butterflies and is a bit wild.

I do have some fixed toys but it's the shells/stones etc that they all play with.

I'm going to get some old tyres from kwikfit too for steppign stones, seats.

:clapping: would Kwikfit charge? I've just had my tyres changed....

How do you stop them digging up the wrong things?

[Polly2]

I am doing my fd research project on outdoor provision. Theres some excellent free books and stuff you can order here http://www.freeplaynetwork.org.uk/pubs/index.html

All promoting natural resources :thumbsup:

[manjay]

Don't have much time now but I like this (http://www.childrenandnature.org/) website and I follow them on facebook. The chairman is Richard Louv who wrote "Last Child in the Woods" which is a fantastic book.

I think I mentioned in the other thread that I managed to source a load of Tesco delivery trays which are fab to use for anything in the garden. they stack on top of each other and are really strong. I have many planks of wood (never had problem with splinters) and I also have plenty of logs of different sizes. The children use these for many things. Contact a local tree surgeon and ask if he has any unwanted logs. Or as I did noticed someone cutting down a tree as I was driving so I was cheeky and stopped to ask if I could have them. The people were glad for me to take as many as I wanted as it then meant they didn't have to get rid of them.

Another freebie I have is some mesh (the type that goes round the outside of a building site or similar) that is flexible and can be used for weaving or den building or creating different spaces in the garden.

Every so often we will go on a stick collecting excercise and bring them back to the garden. These we use for weaving or to make dream catchers. We even have an enormous cobweb that we made from sticks.

I will be back later:rolleyes:

[venus89]

Thank you polly and manjay, I'll be following up both those links in a moment....

Funnily enough manjay I was just thinking about weaving. I start work at the Children's Centre tomorrow and I was thinking that their little nature garden could be spruced up with some weaving frames - sticks and ribbons - made by the children. Does it have to be willow or can other sticks be used?

I'll be back once I've looked at the links :thumbsup:

[sweets]

just had a look on the b and q website for wood and thought these may be quite good to use as mini planks

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9275456&fh_reftheme=promo_159030093%2cseeall%2c%2f%2fcatal og01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3c%7b9372016%7d%2fcatego ries%3c%7b9372053%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9372276%7d&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3 c%7b9372016%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9372053%7d%2fcate gories%3c%7b9372276%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9392114%7 d&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=lister&ts=1294148621598&isSearch=false

ooh bit of a long link but hope it works!

[The Juggler]

:clapping: would Kwikfit charge? I've just had my tyres changed....

How do you stop them digging up the wrong things?

lol, no the old bald tyres they take off. and i just learn to educate them about flowers/veg versus mud and weeds. From 2 they were all very good really only lost a few flowers:laughing:

[manjay]

Thank you polly and manjay, I'll be following up both those links in a moment....

Funnily enough manjay I was just thinking about weaving. I start work at the Children's Centre tomorrow and I was thinking that their little nature garden could be spruced up with some weaving frames - sticks and ribbons - made by the children. Does it have to be willow or can other sticks be used?

I'll be back once I've looked at the links :thumbsup:

Most sticks as long as they are quite fresh will bend

[singingcactus]

Just quickly, kwikfit probably won't give you tires - they are tied in to a recycling scheme. We've been trying to get some for our kart track. However smaller garages will, if you provide them with a headed letter explaining that you are recycling the tyres so the garage can prove they have recycled them not dumped them.
In our new yard we have nothing organised yet lol - only just signing on kids now so will see where their interests lie.
We have had and will have a gravel pit, way better than a sand pit. We just dug out a flower bed and filled it with large gravel, it's fun and pretty. The kids are really good about not putting it on the grass too, the lawn mower is an issue so some rules need to apply. It's great for transporting in barrows, bags, teeshirts, stilts...whatever. Good to pour down guttering, out of watering cans and bucket. Good to bury treasure in. Good for whatever their imagination leads them to.
We have a basket of sticks that we collect whenever we go on walks. they can be swords, tent poles, walking sticks, whatever you need a stick shaped resource for...their imagination is so much better than mine.
We have some folding clothes horses and lots of pashminas, kangas, and other cloths, with pegs and bulldog clips.
We have rocks, lumps of wood (not logs cos we couldn't get hold of any at our previous place), old tent poles and pegs, critters (you know, like garden gnomes but mostly animals), nets, ribbons, windmills, shiny things, thermometers, tubs, boxes, jars, magnifying glasses, binoculars, torches, all types of writing implements,.
We have a balance beam made from a couple of lengths of decking planks, some 2x4 and some 18 mm dowling that the kids can assemble however and wherever.
We have the usual balls, stilts, wheels, pop up tents,building blocks, giant jenga, hoola hoops, flags etc.
We have a sports day kit so the kids can organise their own activities, and now a croquet set that the kids can plan as they choose.
We have tools, bolts, screws, nails that the kids can access. Tie wraps, string, tape, glue guns so they can assemble construction in just the way they want.
We have all sorts of 'stuff', nothing specific just 'stuff' that the kids use in whatever way they want. The best bit of it all is the 'stuff' is usually free or very cheap so is easy to replace if it becomes unusable. My yard is however not as pretty as many of yours will be, but the kids get outdoors, use their imagination, have fun and keep me entertained.

[manjay]

Oooh I am supposed to be working and you lot have got me all fired up about my passion:rolleyes:

Singingcactus - You just reminded me of my tool kit. I only introduced it last year but it is a massive hit. The littlies love using golf tees and polystyrene to get them started with the hammer.

[FussyElmo]

We were luckily enough last year to have an outdoor play conference and it really opened your eyes. Basically dump all your plastic and start again with natural objects. Go to salvage yards and get bits.

We had guess speakers one Helen Bilton was so passionate about being outdoor - we got one of her books and its great.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Playing-Outs...4150721&sr=8-8 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1843120674?ie=UTF8&tag=childminding-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1843120674">Playing Outside: Activities, Ideas and Inspiration for the Early Years</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=childminding-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1843120674" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;)

[venus89]

Wow - it seems I'm a bit backward thinking :laughing: I love how passionate you all are and singingcactus you say your garden's not that pretty compared to others but I think the plastic in my garden is an eyesore.... And if I frame the chaos with nice flowerbeds, planted by the children of course, it could be lovely (or lovelier, at least!).

Thank you , there are some wonderful ideas there - I think you should all put up pictures of your gardens, I'd love to see!! And I'll put on one of my muddy pit of a tiny space.... then we'll see whose looks nicer :laughing: